Breakfast, rainy, ready to play

1. Breakfast with our friends (croissants and coffee) followed by games before we set off home. It was good to see them, even though they're so busy this week.

2. The drive home was in some quite heavy rain, but we got back safely. I'm happy to be in my own bed again.

3. Getting ready to play with my new camera. I've left it to charge overnight so that I can experiment tomorrow afternoon.

Happy Christmas!

It's been a good day:
- we didn't wake up too quickly, then we opened our presents before getting up
- church with Mum and Grandma
- my brother and his wife popped round while we were cooking, on their way to see her family
- the Queen's Speech was good, and so encouraging to see her faith shining through
- the meal was all ready together
- we popped over to see Dad and his mum - they'd had a good day too
- we took my gran back to her house and sat with her until the bedtime carers arrived - she seemed exhausted but still quite cheerful
- back to Grandma's flat to relax with turkey sandwiches and a glass of wine

It's been lovely that Grandma's been so perky this visit. She's mostly understood who we all are, but more importantly she's not been unsettled by the unusual events. And she seems very pleased with the scarf I made her (and even seems to remember my offer in October to make her something!)

'Twas the Sunday before Christmas

and there's wrapping paper everywhere!

We've had a good day today:

• No rush to get up this morning - church was in the evening
• Sunday dinner with A's family
• crackers, a board game and a tasty meal
• Carols by Candlelight at the family church
• Presents put together and wrapped ready for tomorrow
• We dropped in on Aunty Rose
• Looking forward to seeing family at Christmas

Almost ready

Things are coming together...
- the scarf has been blocked, photographed, wrapped and given
- we made some granola for a breakfast hamper Christmas present. It tastes great.
- we've got the essential parts of Christmas dinner.
- half day tomorrow, Christmas lunch, then I'm off until the 2nd.

Almost there...

I hope I manage a bit more blogging now!

A different Sunday

Church:
- We've got 2 tickets for the Ladies' Tea. I'm not sure what it'll be like, but I'm sure it will be fun to try something different next Saturday.
- A reminder of some of the ways God speaks to us, and the importance of doing what He says. We won't always understand why but we can know He has a plan.
- I was struck again at the way the Bible can live when I read it. Sometimes I just wonder if we've made it all up but then I come across a passage that I've certainly read before but it feels new and so relevant.
- Our triplet may be going to expand to 4. I hope C decides to join us, and I'm looking forward to it if she does.

Afternoon entertainment:
- We watched our god-daughter's dance show with her family. Little brother found it hard to sit still (ok... impossible) but we enjoyed seeing her. She looked to be having lots of fun on the stage.
- The family haven't been well this week so they left after her last dance. We were going to join them but...
- I'd bought a couple of raffle tickets on the way in and we won the top prize! We picked it up at the end and it's quite a hamper.

Afterwards:
- A quick visit to the shops for present ideas
- Christmas card writing... There are still a few to do but it's a good start.

Which all means I've only knitted 2 rows of Mary's scarf today. There are 80 rows plus grafting still to do, but it's probably a good thing to have given my hands and arms a rest.

A December weekend

Last night was A's work Christmas meal so we didn't get home until quite late. I had a strange drive home (we'd travelled separately) where I got sandwiched between 2 cars driving oddly. I ended up taking a small detour to avoid them, and arrived home safely.

I had a lovely long lie this morning (I didn't wake up until almost 10:30) before we went through to Keswick for some Christmas shopping. I knitted in the car and added about 30 rows to the 3rd crocodile scarf.

We visited Aunty Beryl in hospital. She's still very frail, but her breathing seemed better and there's still some spark in her. It was good to share some jokes together.

A phone call with a friend, sharing ideas for Christmas presents and planning when we'll all meet up.  It was nice to chat without her young sons taking our attention instead.  Now I need to think of a quick meal for next Sunday's lunch :-)

Improvements expected

1. So cold! ...and raining... and windy... but the electric blanket's on and tomorrow's forecast is dry :o)

2. Some fitting work I was asked to arrange in the lab might be possible much sooner than I expected.

3. We visited an elderly relative in hospital. She's so very frail now, but receiving good care and seems better than a few days ago.

A close network

A busy day:

• An early start: I was in the band and A was running the Sunday School.  Sometimes I've been a bit stressed on a Sunday morning, but this week was lovely and relaxed.  I enjoyed playing. And a visitor came up to me during the break to say he'd have liked the bass to be louder! I'm not used to that ;o)
• We had lunch in town (the same choices as last week!)
• Afternoon tea in Plumbland village hall for a farewell do.  They're heading south to help with their grandkids
• I was touched by how many people were there, and the different groups we represented.  They've been involved in running an activity centre near Bassenthwaite, working at the Keswick Convention, and supporting the schoolswork in the area.  I know that she's been a great support to my friends who've needed a shoulder to lean on.
• Back home for an hour or two...
• ...then out again for the youth service.  I've not been for over 10 years, and enjoyed seeing the young people gathering to worship God and listen to good teaching.  I'm glad I've become involved again.

I've had a lovely day.  I appreciated seeing different strands of the local Christian community are intertwined through relationships and faithful work over many years.  We're part of a long history in this area.  So encouraging :-)

A brighter day

1. We decorated a colleague's desk with many balloons today, and celebrated her 50th birthday with cake.

2. The sky has been clear today - no rain all day(!) and a bright moon tonight.

3. A relaxed evening meal with A's parents.

Sunday thoughts

I was playing in the band this morning.  We didn't have our usual keyboard player, but had an extra guitarist and the drummer from another band which led to a quite different feel - I quite liked it.  I've learned to go with the flow a lot more on Sundays and to choose not to be stressed if things aren't quite as I'd like.  That's made a big difference.

And my bass is finally connecting properly to the system!  The pick-up was quite worn/loose so our usual drummer fixed it for me during half term.  What a star!

The sermon was about giving.  I was grateful that God had already spoken to us on this over the last few days - it feels better to know that we're making changes because of a conversation with Him, rather than because we've been "told" from the front.  I know that God is faithful in this and it's such a privilege to be able to join Him in helping others.

We had a lovely lunch at a cafe in Cockermouth.  We'd not planned anything after church, but I'd wanted to walk into town to try to clear my head a bit... I had a tasty baked potato with cheese and chorizo - yum!

I had a nap when we got home to fix my headache, then enjoyed the final F1 race of the season.  It was probably the best I've seen this year, and a great way to end the year.

Domestic bliss!

It's been a stormy day today: lots of wind and rain. Housegroup was cancelled because the roads in were dodgy so I've had a housework evening instead. Two loads of washing, lots of ironing, and the dishes have been done. Not so exciting, but good to get out the way.

I watched the final (recorded) episode of the Great British Bake Off as I ironed. I enjoyed the series a lot - the feeling of support between competitors and some fabulous bakes was refreshing. Real feel-good TV.

My own baking on Sunday was less impressive, but I was happy with the finished result once I'd taken away the volcanic overflow:

The birthday tea went well...

I picked up a helium balloon on the way home from work (I left early), peeled and roasted some spuds and parsnips, did some ready-to-roast gammon and beef, boiled some carrots, peas and beans, and iced the cake I baked yesterday.
Simple! ...except I thought they were coming over at 7 when it was actually 6:30. Oops.

But that's part of the fun in having family round - so what if I hadn't changed from my work clothes yet? It's nice to be able to relax and not need to perform.

The cake worked well too. Once I trimmed the sides a little and put some icing on it was pretty good. I did a zig-zag of melted white chocolate as the final touch - a bit wonky but I quite liked that. I'll add a photo once I've got it from A's camera.

It's been an interesting evening...

1.  I've baked a marbled chocolate cake for my mother-in-law's birthday tea tomorrow.  I thought it was quite full in the baking tin when I filled it, but hoped I'd just about get away with it.  Not quite...

At least it tastes better than it looks!  I'll try to ice it tomorrow before tea, so maybe that will help.


2.  We heard an odd noise near our front door while watching tv.  When A went to look outside, he found that the bit of rendering which was bulging has finally fallen off.  At least no-one was there at the time.


3.  I was knitting the Red Leafy Scarf which I'm knitting as a Christmas present for my MIL, and feeling quite pleased that it's getting close to the point where I can start on the 2nd half.  Then I noticed I'd added a stitch a few rows back, so I've ripped back almost as much as I knitted (and there are still a couple more rows to unpick).  Ho hum!

Puppets

Workington switched on their Christmas lights this evening, so one of the local churches hosted a puppet show by the NISCU Primary Puppets team.  I popped in to see it and had a great time!  They performed 4 or 5 songs, joined together with short snippets from a couple of the schools workers.  Two songs in particular stood out - the Bethlehemian Rhapsody and Hotel Can't Afford Ya - both are great parodies of classic songs and gave a professional edge to the performance.

I was glad of the opportunity to see what the NISCU teams do, and what we're supporting.  And I bumped into a load of people I know but haven't seen for ages - a lovely, family event.

Organising, exercising our privilege, tasty

1. I had a bit of an admin day at work today. It's always satisfying when I can feel I've made some sense of the questions I've been putting off. I just need my boss's signature to finish the main bit now.

2. We walked to the polling station to make our votes, and took the longer way home in the chilly evening. It's a strange election, for a post that may or may not be a good thing, but we're very aware of our privilege in having a vote at all.

3. Venison burgers for tea, with potatoes, peas and broccoli.

Refreshed, relaxing together, restored

1. A short lie down when I got home (after sorting the dishes out) and I felt refreshed and ready to go again.

2. An evening with A's parents: homemade shepherd's pie was a treat for autumn, and I made some progress on the Any Yarn Scarf as we chatted.

3. He ran me a bath when we got home, and I enjoyed soaking in the bubbles. A chilled glass of white was an extra treat!

Catching up

1. We've had two visitors from our sister mill for a couple of days; it's been good to spend time sharing thoughts.

2. I knitted about 22 rows of the red leafy scarf while at triplet this evening: that's probably about 2"...

3. A was still up when I got home. It feels surprisingly strange to have a few minutes to catch up after 2 busy days.

A fun weekend with friends

Saturday

We looked after our two godsons for the day (along with their other godparent and her little girl) so their parents could repaint their living room.

• We visited the Gincase: we were almost the first to arrive and definitely the last to leave
• The play barn kept us occupied for hours... and the adults had almost as much fun as the children, with slides and a ballpool to "supervise"
• We came indoors just before the rain threw down
• The guinea pigs were hiding under their hutch, but if we stayed very quiet they came out to explore
• The piglets were very hungry
• Harvey the pony was happy to have his nose stroked
• and the chocolate cake in the cafe was delicious!

Sunday

We had some friends over for lunch after church.

• Bangers and mash with onion & mustard gravy, roast parsnips, broccoli, carrots and peas.  Yum!
• South African milk pudding
• Followed by a game of Qwirkle as we demolished a box of chocolates. (I won, despite pointing out the best moves for the youngest player... but the crucial tiles landed in my turn - I couldn't have planned it!)

relaxing, recharging and reviewing

A much-needed quiet evening together at home:

• a few minutes' lie down to recharge
• comfort food (sausage, mustard mash, broccoli and gravy) with a glass of red
• looking at holiday ideas for next year
• no tv, but lots of time to mull over blogging and ideas.  I've done my first WIP Wednesday post as well

Reprise, sunset and stretching

1. We were asked to repeat our presentation from 2 weeks ago for the CEO during his visit. I'd forgotten it already(!) but after a quick practice it went well.

2. The sunset was stunning as I left work this evening.

3. A new half-term for Pilates, so a new routine. There are a lot of stretches this time, and I think I'll feel it tomorrow, but I enjoyed the change.

Winter's here

1. A cold, crisp day: sparkly sunshine on the way to work, frosty on the way home

2. A visit with A's elderly aunt, and a phone call with my gran.

3. Fireworks everywhere! ...and a panoramic view of the town's displays as we drove back.

Some happenings from the last week

Monday:
jet-lagged!

Tuesday:
a takeaway and board game with good friends - a fun girls' night

Wednesday:
forgot what evening it was, and was surprised when two children rang the doorbell.  Thankfully I'd thought ahead and had some wee chocolate treats ready to offer...

Thursday:
housegroup at our house.  I was feeling so tired beforehand, but picked up when everyone arrived and was lifted by our evening together.

Friday:
our friends arrived for the weekend, after a long drive south.  The house began to fill with fun and laughter.

Saturday:
We explored the Keswick Pencil Museum, bought some (more) yarn and visited Whinlatter for afternoon tea and a play in the adventure playground once the rain/sleet/hail had stopped.  We returned home to the welcoming smell of a slow-cooked beef stew, baked a lemon drizzle cake and relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Sunday:
tired!  not from visitors so much as too little sleep though...  It's been lovely to see them and get to know the children a bit better.  We're already planning our next meet-up.
I've cast on my next moebius scarf while watching the F1- this time for Grandma's Christmas present.  I found some soft sock-yarn last Saturday in just her colours, so I hope she'll like it.

The clocks changed yesterday...

...so I'm feeling jet lagged. I'll blog another day ;-)

Sunday thoughts

1. Played bass again this morning. I was encouraged that a couple if people said they'd enjoyed what I'd done. And I'm very pleased that our drummer has said he'll look at my bass to fix the loose lead connection.

2. Quite powerful this morning too... we're living with the reality that a church member (not much older than me) is seriously ill and the medical prognosis isn't good. Her husband used Psalm 23 to declare his trust in God. So hard, but reassuring that they know God's presence.

3. On a lighter note... I seem to be getting quicker at making chutney. I've made my annual Christmas chutney today (3rd year) and I think I've got the hang of it now! I'll see what the house smells like in the morning though...

Sunny Saturday

On my own again this weekend, so I took the chance to:

1. Sort through the books stacked in front of the shelves, and decide on almost half which can go to the charity shop. Still just a drop in the ocean though...

2. Enjoy a mooch around Cockermouth:
- a book for a godson's Christmas present
- a chat and ball of sock yarn in the wool shop
- lunch at the Coffee Kitchen (tomato, lentil and basil soup)
- a haircut, and I was impressed with her honesty when I asked about getting my hair coloured professionally... apparently I'm doing fine on my own!

3. Toasted cheese, ham and homemade chutney for tea.

Good as new

1. We wore pink to work today to raise money for Breast Cancer research. I found a cerise cardigan I've not worn for some months... I liked the feeling that it was something new (and it seemed to fit better than before too!)

2. I enjoy the good-humoured camaraderie with my colleagues. We take our work seriously but there's still time to laugh.

3. I went for a walk after work this evening, to try to persuade a sciatic nerve to stop complaining. I felt better for the fresh air and exercise. It's been a crisp, cold but sunny day.

Remembering, refreshed, identity

1. I've actually been using some of my degree this week! Refrigeration cycles on Monday, CHP systems, electrostatic precipitation and surface chemistry today. Although, when I say "using" perhaps I should really say I've been stretching my memory back 20 years to try to follow what someone else is saying. I still think it counts anyway...

2. I was feeling very tired and sleepy today after some late nights, but after a short lie down I perked up enough for the meeting this evening.

3. An interesting meeting... encouraging news on the church plant, and helpful reminders that our identity is from God first - any other labels (job, roles, relationships) have value as God-given but don't take that priority in defining us.

Confidence, clearing the piles, moving forward

1. I gave two very different presentations at work today: one to the production crews returning from their rest days, encouraging them to pay attention to product quality (20 mins); and one to our top bosses, explaining our approach to quality monitoring and improvement (10 mins). I think both went well (as far as I could tell!) and I was slightly surprised that I wasn't really nervous... my two colleagues were pacing the floor before the 2nd presentation, but I quite enjoyed it. What a difference from my student presentations!

2. I'm finally making some headway in my to-do list. Last week was so full of meetings I couldn't really think, but today was a bit quieter. Maybe I'll even clear some of the piles of paper on my desk!

3. Support group meeting for the schools workers today. It's great to hear how well things are going, and our two new primary workers are making quick work of figuring out their goals and creating opportunities. I'm enjoying getting to know people a bit better too.

Encouraging: in work, at schools, good friend

1. I've finally put together my part of the presentation to our top bosses tomorrow. When I left for home the pc was behaving... so I'm sure it'll still be working in the morning!

2. Encouraging to read the reports from our schools workers before the support group meeting tomorrow evening.

3. A lovely chat with a good friend to finish the day (who might even read this now that she knows I'm blogging again ;-) )

Wet, weekend, wanderer

1. Very heavy rain at home time again, so I decided not to go into town after work. Thankfully it eased off enough to be comfortable walking to the car park (I was quite wet yesterday morning). Some flooding in Whitehaven today though!

2. Catch up evening at home: emails (the weekend's almost planned now), Red Dwarf X ep 2 (good laughs), thinking some more about public blogging...

3. A's back home after his trip to London.

Progress: at work, exercising, and knitted

1. Interesting discussions during this morning's meeting; although that did mean we over-ran by an hour and a half!

2. Pilates was hard work but much better than last week. I like the weeks when I see an improvement in what I can do.

3. The crocodile scarf is growing again after I ripped it back at the weekend. I've added about 32 rows without shaping so I hope it will be a more sensible length now. If I do another I can always make it longer for the older boys...

A productive evening: at home, away and online

1 A productive start to the evening... dishes washed, soup bubbling, ironing done. It's good to feel a bit organised before I sit down.

2. Working on my public blog... I've been a bit thrown by someone I don't know posting comments here, when it's only intended as a personal diary which some of my friends can see. But I also want to be part of the online crafting community, so I'm setting up a 2nd blog, devoted to my makings and musings, and which I can link to my ravelry account. I need a better name for it, but that's the working title for now: mymakingsandmusings.blogspot.com

3. A phonecall from A after his busy day exploring London. I'm glad he's enjoying his trip.

Sunday, sunshine and satisfaction

Up early today to be at church for 9am to do the projector...  It went well, I didn't make any obvious mistakes, and I managed a fast song-switch (which needed a wee bit dexterity to time correctly).  Also encouraging was that I chatted with a couple of people I don't normally see, and had helpful conversations with closer friends.

Lunch later with another friend, followed by a cyclepath walk in the sunshine to try to find a view of the sea.  We were within a few hundred yards of the coast, but the shore hills got in the way... Eventually we had a lovely view across the Solway to Scotland, including the wind farm in the middle but I think there's a certain elegance to the tall turbines...

I've finally untangled a skein of yarn for Mum...  I'd tried to help her wind it into a ball before the summer, but it was just getting into a real mess so I said I'd take it home and bring it back next time we were up north.  Well, that didn't work out, but I wrapped it round the arms of a wooden chair this afternoon and, with lots of patience, I've untangled it into a hand-wound ball.  I might try to transfer it to a ballwinder if I feel brave tomorrow evening.  A satisfying end to at least 3 hours' work!

Shopping, lunching, relaxing

1. A clear, sunny Saturday - perfect for a trip to the shops for bits and pieces we need. We were shopping for a couple of birthday presents, and found some nice ideas.

2. Lunch at Cafe West. I enjoyed my jacket potato (I'm possibly addicted to jacket spuds) and A had the Soup with Wigg (a bread roll made with caraway seeds).

3. A very lazy rest-of-the-day. I've been feeling quite tired lately so took the chance to be very lazy.
Although I did manage to get two loads washed and almost dried outside, and knitted most of a crocodile scarf...

I'm going to have to rip back about a third of the scarf though: it's nice, but the pattern isn't long enough even for the wee boys I'm planning it for. Tomorrow I'll go back to lengthen the middle section - good job it's chunky yarn!

A good end to a busy week

1. Close to when I needed to leave work, the heavens opened and the rain poured down. I stayed slightly longer, finished a couple of tasks, and walked to the car park in the dry.

2. We had tea with A's parents. They've had a busy time away in London and have enjoyed their break.

3. Tomorrow's Saturday - I don't have to get up!

Satisfying

1. An activity I needed to set moving is already active; It turns out I only need to direct it a little, which was an encouraging end to the working day.

2. I made a chorizo and lentil tagine this evening - one of our favourite meals.

3. Catching up on The Great British Bake-Off... They were baking pies: some disasters, some triumphs, and a feeling of comradeship despite the competition.

(Unexpected) encouragement

1. The Pilates class was hard, but much better than I expected. I was able to do a couple of exercises I couldn't even attempt a year ago.

2. I met with my prayer triplet this evening. We were all tired and not feeling too alert, but it was still good to get together. And encouraging to remember that God has enough strength for us all.

3. A clear sky tonight meant so many stars were visible.

Our Northumbrian adventure

Another holiday!  This time self-catering in Alnwick for a week.

• The house was fantastic - warm, comfortable, very nicely furnished, and with a well-equipped kitchen.

We visited:

• Cragside House
• This time we could look around the house as well as the grounds.
• The autumn colours were fab, and the sun came out as we walked around.
• Dunstanburgh Castle
• We walked from Craster, as the sun lowered towards the horizon but was still warm
• We tried to catch some arty photos:

• Berwick-upon-Tweed
• The weather was a bit wetter, but we walked around the old town walls
• There were some impressive views across the harbour at the mouth of the Tweed

• Amble, Warkworth and Morpeth
• Another walk beside the sea
• A tasty lunch ("dutch-style poached eggs" on toasted muffins in a creamy butter sauce, with proper ham) at a cafe we spotted on the way into town



• then a wander around Warkworth and some interesting craft shops & galleries
• the photo doesn't show it very clearly, but I was convinced this spire was leaning!



• Holy Island
• we visited Lindisfarne Castle, which had an art installation of "Tiny Tales" which was miniature people displayed around the house.

• Alnwick - a very good base for our holiday
• We found a traditional pub which had been recommended to us - when we first walked in, heads turned and I thought I was the only female in the room... but we got chatting to some of the locals and felt very welcome.  A very nice surprise.
• We had tapas one evening, which is one of my (our) favourite meals out.  I love being able to relax over a bottle of red wine, with tasty treats appearing at our table and lots of bread to mop up the sauces.  Happy memories.

Getting ready, inspiration, new techniques

1.  I feel I'm making some progress with my to-do list at work at last... just as well when I'm going to be on holiday next week :o)

2.  I bought a couple of books with my birthday money, and they arrived today.  One in particular looks fab:
The Knitter's Life List.  Full of interesting ideas and inspiration about knitting-related things and much bigger than I'd expected.  I'm looking forward to browsing through the lovely pictures and ideas.

3.  The Snug baby jacket is growing nicely.  I'm half-way through the 2nd sleeve which means it's now a recognisable jacket.  I'm enjoying the almost seamless design and looking forward to the next stage - picking up the front stitches and casting on for the hood.

Baptism, catching up and lots of garter stitch

1. It was my nearly-5-year-old godson's baptism today: a happy day. He didn't like getting water on his face but didn't complain. I was very proud of him.

2. We took a walk around the harbour in the afternoon. I appreciated the fresh air, and the chance to discuss a couple of worries. The relaxing was topped off by catching up on an episode of The Great British Bake Off: a feel-good treat.

3. I started my latest knitting project, which I've made myself wait for until the previous project was finished (last night). I've made a lot of progress today (all of the back and part of the front) and I can't say I'm too sorry to have completed the many rows of straight garter stitch. The more interesting bit starts tomorrow (removing the waste yarn to pick up the sleeves!)

Back on the road again

We set off at silly o'clock this morning (5am) but the journey has been fairly smooth and uneventful.

I had a couple of hours after checking in to the hotel to myself, so I've bought some Swedish coffee to replenish our supplies.

Dinner together with the group before tomorrow's meeting. It's been nice to catch up with a few people and to hear encouraging feedback about how we're working and cooperating with our colleagues. It's certainly not all my doing, but I know I've influenced it and that feels good.

A weekend of contrasts

Friday:

• No work today... but the funeral of a relative who died shortly before his 90th birthday.  A sad occasion, but comforting to hear of a long life lived with God and to know that he's with his Maker now.  No more sin, sickness, suffering, sadness... (Rev 21:4)
• We sang "There is a redeemer" as the final hymn.  The 3rd verse was particularly touching:

When I stand in glory,

I will see His face

and there I'll serve my King forever

in that holy place

• I had the house to myself for the rest of the day/weekend, so I took the opportunity to do some baking.  I've borrowed a friend's recipe book (Mary Berry's Simple Cakes) and made a lemon drizzle tray bake and some chocolate brownies.  Both were wonderfully easy.
• I also treated myself to a new electric hand mixer - what an improvement on the 20-year-old (at least!) mixer I'd been using until now.
• Finally, I joined a couple of friends for a nice girly evening
• enjoying some of the cake I'd made
• watching Nanny McPhee - I enjoyed it lots, and couldn't help admiring the crochet and patchwork beadspreads on the children's beds!

Saturday:

A trip to Carlisle with a friend

• we had browsed and had lunch at Orton Grange, which has something of an eclectic mix of lovely gifts, fairtrade clothes, patchworking materials, a hairdresser and a beauty shop!
• I was also pleased to see they stock Bolesławiec pottery - a distinctive style with childhood memories for me.
• The sun shone, so we made the most of it and enjoyed driving with the car hood down.
• Looking around craft shops in the town... and Fun2Do have started to offer classes in new techniques.  Much too tempting!

Sunday:

• Playing in the band at church
• I'm starting to experiment a little with how I play... still very basic stuff, but I used the octaves to give a bit of interest.  Playing the tonic, but at different positions on the guitar neck.  It's a way of getting to know the instrument a little better, so that I can move on a bit more as I gain confidence and my fingers get stronger.
• An encouraging meeting, with many people standing up to share how they'd grown with God during the hard times, and seen His faithfulness throughout (sometimes with hindsight!)
• A relaxing afternoon, but still getting a few things done.
• I've worked out (with help from a Ravelry forum) how to block the knitted moebius cowls I've made myself.  I pinned them onto (and round) the ironing board and held the iron over to give some steam; a few minutes to cool, and then move it round a bit further and start again.  They feel a bit softer and more luxurious now :o)
• A second go at a Tangy Onion Chutney - I'm a bit happier with how it's turned out this time.  I used a small amount of balsamic to replace some of the red wine vinegar, and have now got some grenadine syrup.  The first attempt got better over time, so I'm very optimistic for this one.  I'm looking forward to trying it with grilled goat's cheese on toast - yum!

A holiday reminder

I bought a couple of balls of wool in Kirkwall while we were there: A local Aran-weight yarn in a silver-grey. Ever since, I've been trying to decide what to make from it.

The make had to be for me (the souvenir aspect of the yarn would be lost on anyone else) and probably a circular scarf, since that was what I originally had in mind when I bought it.

Yesterday I cast on. I've chosen another moebius scarf, this time slightly shorter and chunkier, with a simple lace effect for interest.

I'm already about half-way! I'm amazed at how quickly it's progressing, although perhaps I shouldn't be since I watched most of the Paralympics opening ceremony while I knitted last night...

Our bank holiday beach adventure

We joined our friends for an evening at the beach:

• paddling and games
• sandcastles, moats, trenches and islands

•  a picnic tea before we moved to be higher than the rising tide
• a bonfire in our new location, with marshmallows and toast
• kite-flying

All under a warm (but not too hot) sun, as it started to set

A fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon/evening.  And what a privilege to live near such a lovely place.

Hiding from the rain

A wettish Saturday (well, what else for a bank holiday weekend?)

• We left the house for a yummy lunch at the Coffee Kitchen in Cockermouth.  I love their Cranberry and Brie roll, and their focus on fresh bread with quality tea and coffee.
• We escaped the rain by browsing in some of the shops... the Children's Society were opening up their new branch.
• I found a bargain dress and t-shirt
• and 4 mugs (not that we need any more...) to change for some of my older ones...

• so I'll say goodbye to my old mugs, which I picked up years ago as seconds from the Denby shop:

• they've served us well, but I'm in the mood for moving them along...

How do we know?

NISCU support group meeting tonight, to meet the new primary schools worker. She spent some time in New York as an intern for Metropolitan Ministries after she graduated - it sounds like an amazing experience. Quite early on she fell out of a window (as you do) and broke her arm. The hospital wouldn't replace the temporary cast because her insurance wouldn't pay, so her friends prayed for healing one night. Next day she decided to cut off the cast - her elbow was healed!

That got to someone else telling the story about her mum being diagnosed with cancer last year. Before she went for her op she asked God to heal her and felt some rumbling in that area. When they operated and looked at the tissue it wasn't cancerous any more (the lab checked 3 times!)

I've no idea why some people are healed while others aren't, but it's so encouraging to hear of times when healings happen.

I've been thinking today about our oldest godson's questioning of how he can believe God exists when he can't see or hear Him. A very good question! ...and one that this type of miracle helps to answer.

Life can be a series of mundane or trivial activities, punctuated by special events. It all adds up to tell us God is there and involved in the mundane and the exciting times.

Back to work after our fun adventures

The start of a new week:

• I've got through part of the email mountain... I think I've seen the critical ones anyway.
• Catching up with my team after all our times away
• one child ill, another much improved... I think no news is good news for the others.
• sorting out the admin stuff which goes with being a manager.
• stayed late to finish a couple of urgent items.

• feeling the effects of Saturday's late night though. Definitely not as alert or patient as I'd like!

• very pleased to hear my gran sounding much brighter on the phone this evening - a welcome change from recent weeks

• and I didn't switch the TV on this evening! I caught up with some missing blogs instead.

Back in Berlin

... this time for work.

I'm here to witness a printing trial, then I fly back to Newcastle on Thursday ready for our hols!

Blessings:
- a slightly relaxed start to the day. I finished both sets of packing, checked emails and did most of the washing up.
- traffic was fine on the motorway and the patches of heavy rain were mostly short.
- I've almost got my bearings in Berlin now so didn't get lost on the way to the hotel.
- I met with my colleague and customer for a tasty meal

...time for sleep!

What a show!

surreal, funny, touching, very British, with a stunning finish

- James Bond escorted the Queen by helicopter to the stadium, so that "she" could parachute in
- Mr Bean playing the bass note for Chariots of Fire
- "Abide with me" sung in memory of the 7/7 victims
- Good music
- the Olympic Flame transferred to hundreds of copper petals to make a dramatic cauldron

And even though I'm not in a team for the Ravellenic Games I still cast on for my next project. All garter stitch, so I don't need to concentrate, and portable for the travelling I'll be doing in August.

Some thoughts from recent sermons...

"An idol is anything, other than God, which gives us our sense of value". It may be a good thing in itself, but taken too far, so that we depend on it for self-worth.

• I've found this definition liberating. Nothing can add to, or take away from, the value God places on me. Anything else may give me pleasure or help me grow, but can't change my worth. And if that's how God sees me then it takes the pressure away.  I am His.

What will God ask me when I face him at the End? He won't be concerned with meaningless trivialities, although He will see the small things.

• This seems a useful question for considering what's important.  It should probably be an obvious thought, but it's not usually the first thing I look at...

"Christian Marriage" - involves a shared dependency on God, which brings His love and strength.  It is outward looking, and it reflects something of God's relationship with His church.  There won't be any need for marriage in heaven, though... when we will each see God face to face.

...and a final thought:
What we see now is only temporary (which is described in Ecclesiastes as "all is meaningless", where meaningless describes something fleeting).  When we see God, all this will fade, which means all the difficult times will be finished.  But God still gives us good things now - life is a gift from Him:

"This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labour under the sun during the few days of life God has given them - for this is their lot.  Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil - this is a gift of God.  They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart"

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Success, and a relaxing evening

1. We found the cause of the non-calibration, and returned it to being correct. I'd feared the worst... so I was very pleased not to have all the QC Inspectors after me!

2. He's had some time off! So good to be able to enjoy an evening at home together. No Lindor chocs left now though...

3. I cooked a yummy tea: ratatouille and cod, with a nice red. Then we caught up on two episodes of Twenty Twelve. Very funny, but hard to spot the difference when the first news story we saw next was about an Olympic hiccup.

Repairs, keen, atmospheric

1. Two windows (one properly broken, the other with a broken seal) and our front door (gradually cracking up in the sun!) have been replaced.

2. Our two summer students are working out well. Both are enthusiastic and intelligent, which makes it a joy to work with them.

3. The clouds were brooding around the fells as I drove home from Keswick this evening. There was still enough light to make them bright white as they nestled in the valleys and sat on the tops. A striking contrast to the dark fellsides.

The wedding weekend

My baby brother has married a lovely girl!

It was a fantastic day:

• She, and her bridesmaids, looked stunning.  And so happy!
• a special family gathering
• catching up with people I've not seen for many years
• enjoying meeting my new sister-in-law's family - they're lovely too!
• the service was shared between the Catholic priest and Church of Scotland minister
• such a warm atmosphere, and everyone felt welcomed
• the priest's homily on "Christian Marriage" was just right: the strength of a marriage is in receiving and sharing God's love.  He makes it possible for us to thrive together, in any circumstances
• Dad's ceilidh band played, and the dance floor was busy until late
• I took lots of pictures... too many to include here
• I printed some off the next day, for my grans to see what they'd been unable to share in person, and for G&T to have as an instant reminder of their big day

 Knitting featured too:

• I made a blanket for them as our wedding present

• I wore a Clapotis wrap which I made myself for the occasion

• I loved the feel of the Kid Classic yarn... mohair, lambswool (and nylon) felt so snuggly and soft next to my skin; perfect for a July wedding in Scotland!
• a feeling of luxury, all the more special because it was my own work

We stayed at the Crieff Hydro and had breakfast together the next morning

• a treat to finish the celebrations in style

Last day to relax for a month

The sun was shining again.

But what a day for sport! Murray did himself proud in the Wimbledon final, and we caught up with the British GP highlights after eating our tea in the summer house.

A's last weekend before Keswick completely takes over his life, so we've enjoyed the slower pace while we could.

An unexpectedly sunny day

...perfect for exploring the local scarecrow festival with our friends.

Followed by:
- a hearty bowl of soup at the village Methodist chapel
- an overdue haircut ready for next week's festivities
- mooching around the shops in Cockermouth
- successful shopping in Workington: fascinator, birthday present, gift box
- catching up on the F1 qualifying at Silverstone (it was very wet!)

I'm a teeny bit sunburnt after being outdoors for most of the day (a convertible car may not have helped ;o) ) but not so it'll be a problem. Hopefully I'll just look healthy in Friday's photos.

A good Monday

1. Walking in from the car park, hearing God reminding me that He's there. I don't remember the details of the conversation but I do remember smiling.

2. The feeling when a dreaded phone call I'd been putting off turned out to be very easy.

3. Soup and a sandwich were waiting for me when I got home from Pilates. A yummy freezer surprise.

The knitting's done...

...but lots of sewing to do! (and then some more knitting for the edging)

It feels good to have knitted the twentieth square:

Still knitting

1.5 squares left to knit... and 1 to partially unknit to fix my earlier laziness. Fifteen squares are now blocking, ready for the big sew-up next week.

The big question is: which design to use for square number 20?

Too busy knitting to blog!

I had a brainwave on the way home from our anniversary holiday. Why not finish the silver/grey blanket squares into a wedding present for my brother? It could be a picnic blanket, throw or something to snuggle under in the evening on the patio. And it's more personal than something shop-bought.

A great idea... if I'd only thought of it earlier! I counted the completed squares when I got home: 7 (I'd hoped it was 9 or 10). But still do-able if I crack on.

So far (9 days later) I've completed 18 1/2 blocks out of the 20 needed, although I've still to unravel part of one to fix a weak spot. I've got about 3 weeks left, so all my "spare" time will be knitting, blocking, sewing and binding.

I'm enjoying the challenge, and I think it should look good when it's complete. My wrists might be happy when I finish the knitting part though...

Last full day in Berlin

We visited the Bauhaus museum in the morning. I learned loads about the Bauhaus style & philosophy, and it was fun to see the original of a chair we have a copy of in our house.

We walked through part of the Tiergarten, then took the underground to Aleksander Platz (to give my back a rest from more walking). The busker at the station sang to me!

A late lunch in the Galerie Kaufman (postcards written) and a short browse - I resisted buying German yarn and he didn't buy a posh watch.

We meandered back to the hotel, with a drink in the Sony Centre at Potsdamer Platz, then had dinner at the German restaurant across the road. We'd nearly been a couple of nights ago, and it was lovely. A warm atmosphere and a delicious goulash with friendly service. It's a shame this is our last evening...

A cultural day in Berlin

In the morning... The Deutsches Technikmuseum:
- textiles
- papermaking & printing
- Zuse: creator of first programmable computer
- and of course the old cars!

Lunch near the Brandenburg Gate (bratwurst from a kiosk) then we went to the Bundestag:
- the views from the glass dome were stunning
- the audio descriptions were very well put together: enough to feel that we knew what we were looking at, but not so much that it was overwhelming.

Dinner at a Thai restaurant, followed by the orchestral concert:
- Daniel Barenboim as soloist and conductor
- Mozart piano concerto
- Bruckner symphony
- all in an elegant concert hall (understated grandeur)
We sat behind the orchestra in the choir seats, which were sold as the cheap seats but we thought they were great!
- we could see the conductor's face (including when he told the french horn player off)
- we were right above the tuba for the symphony - I loved the bass notes!
- I could even see some of the music sheets

We also visited the Mini showroom (after seeing a Bugatti Veyron yesterday among the selection of cars in the VW showroom), and clocked up a few more miles on foot...

Starting our anniversary holiday

We arrived yesterday evening, and found our hotel eventually after getting off the wrong train just in time, then taking an unplanned detour in the rain. But we got there!

A relaxed breakfast this morning, then we joined a tour of Berlin: 4 hours including a short stop for coffee, and I feel that I'm starting to get my bearings now.

We took the lift to the top of the TV- Tower (203.78m) for a panoramic view of the whole city.

We walked back towards the Brandenburg Gate, stopping to buy tickets for tomorrow evening at the Konzerthaus. Daniel Barenboim conducting pieces by Mozart and Bruckner. I'm looking forward to it.

After dinner at the Italian restaurant over the road, we're sitting in the hotel lobby/bar, where the TV is showing the BBC coverage of the Queen's diamond jubilee concert. It's strange watching this in another country!

My feet are aching... we've covered quite a few miles... but it's been a good day.